Hellebores or Lenten Rose are a tough, easy-to-grow underused evergreen for the shade garden. Their glossy dark green leathery foliage is 15-18 inches tall and attractive all year long. New growth begins in late January or Feb and precedes the 3-4 inch nodding, cup shaped flowers that emerge through the snow or mulch and bloom during the Lenten season. Blooms are typically white or pale lavender but plant breeders have developed a palette of exciting new colors including pink, plum, green, dark purple, red and yellow.
Hellebores prefer moist but well drained soil that is rich in organic matter or compost. Once established, helleborus tolerate dry shade. Heavy wet clay is instant death. Planted in mass, helleborus make a fantastic ground cover. They are equally attractive in solitary clumps. Helleborus are deer resistant and although somewhat obscure, they make a fantastic choice even for beginners.
Here’s our line up for the 2016 season.
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